Metal panel repair tool



June 12, 1956 H. D. BOYKIN, JR 2,749,795

METAL PANEL REPAIR TOOL Filed Oct. 27, 1953 f Fig. f 42 Howard D. Baykin, Jr:

JNVENTOR.

50 BY 52 My 5M United States Patent METAL PANEL REPAIR TOOL Howard D. Boykin, Jr., Candor, N. Y.

Application October 27, 1953, Serial No. 388,638

2 Claims. (Cl. 8115) The present invention relates to special purpose hand tools and implements which are conveniently and often necessarily employed by expert mechanics in automobile body repair shops and similar establishments. Tools utilized for such purposes are of many styles and forms because of the fact that jobs which have to do with straightening panels, fenders and other body parts vary from day to day and are difiicult or easy, depending on the exact nature of the demolished, dented or other area which has to be worked on and restored to its original shape. Specifically, the nature of the instant tool and the purpose thereof is to remove dents on the exterior of closed panels on vehicle bodies without the necessity of first having to remove whatever material is associated with and carried by the interior side of the panel which is to be worked on.

It is a matter of common knowledge that at the present time, considerable manual labor and painstaking time and effort are consumed in the practice or procedure of opening the back of an enclosed panel in order to expose the underneath side of a dent for purposes for having access thereto and hammering it back into its original position. The object of the present invention is, therefore, to provide a simple, practical and economical implement or tool whose use will save time, reduce labor to a minimum, will effect a saving in money and will result in a repair job which is quite as satisfactory as jobs which are capable of accomplishment following methods which have been pursued prior to the advent of the teachings and introduction of the instant invention.

Then, too, novelty is predicated on an instrumentality which does the job in such a way that once the dented metal has been restored to its original position, the surface may be ground by a regular body grinder, the small holes filled with solder, the surface reground to eliminate excess solder, and the previously dented surface restored to its normal position and appearance and being thus readied for painting.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention, I provide a structure which is characterized by a manually actuatable stress applying lever, a support for the distal end of said lever adapted to rest firmly upon the work acted on, said distal end of the lever being pivotally mounted on said support, a dent pulling and deforming rod operatively mounted on an intermediate portion of said lever, a self-threading screw adapted to be threaded into a localizing and hold-down hole provided therefor in a dent, and means operatively joining said screw with said rod.

Novelty is also predicated upon the construction stated wherein one end of said rod is screw threaded, there being a cap-nut screwed on said screw threaded end and said cap-nut being centrally apertured and serving to accommodate the headed end of an insertable and removable self-threading screw which is removably mounted in the cap-nut so that the shank extends through the aperture in the nut where it is then readied to be screwed into "ice an anchoring hole provided therefor in the dent which is being acted on.

Stated otherwise, the invention is characterized by a portable stand having a base and a standard joined with said base, a stress applying manually actuable lever having its distal end pivotally connected with said standard, said lever having a lengthwise slot situated adjacent said stand, a T-shaped rod embodying a shank passing slidably and rotatably through said slot and a crosshead at one end, the latter serving as a handle, a thrust shoulder fixed on said shank, said shoulder resting atop said lever, and means on the other end of said lever associable with and for acting on the dent.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a dent treating tool or instrumentality constructed in accordance with the invention and showing the manner in which the same is used;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the same, with the body structure eliminated;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of certain of the details on an enlarged scale; and

Figure 4 is a view based on Figure 3 with the enlarged parts shown in assembled relationship.

Referring now to the drawings and with reference to Figure l, the automobile body structure is denoted in a general sense by the numeral 6 and is characterized by an inner panel 8 and an outer panel 10, which latter is to be worked on. In particular, it is the dent 12 in this panel which is to be pulled out and restored to its approximately flat original form or shape. In keeping with the invention, a hole 14 is formed at the center of the dent.

Referring in particular to Figures 1 and 2, the portable stand is denoted by the numeral 16 and this is of suitable simple construction, as shown, and is characterized by a base 18 and an upright or standard 20 which is attached to and rises vertically from the base. The numeral 22 designates appropriate pad means to assist in minimizing the marring of the un-dented surface. The lever which serves to apply the needed lifting forces and to exert the exact force at the vulnerable central portion of the dent is denoted by the numeral 24. This may be of some construction other than that shown, such as of one-piece form. It is preferably, however, made up of a pair of duplicate strap members 26-26 with aperture means 27 at the proximal end. This is the end which may be said to be closest to the user and the end which is held in the hand of the user. At the distal end, the strap members are laterally bent, as at 28-28, and these members form a fork. The fork straddles the upper end of the upright where it is removably bolted thereto and thus pivotally attached in place, as at 30. The outwardly disposed spaced parallel bends 3232 are arranged and associated to provide a handy slot denoted by the numeral 34. This slot serves to accommodate the insertable and removable T-shaped unit or member 36. This member comprises a rod or stem portion 38 having a screw-threaded lower end 40 and having its intermediate portion slidable and turnable in the slot and provided with a fixed flange 42 which constitutes the shoulder. On the upper end, the crosshead of the member, which is denoted at 44, provides a suitable handling and turning handle.

The aforementioned cap-nut is denoted by the numeral 45 and this is internally screw threaded and screwed on the screw threaded end 4!) as best shown in Figures 3 and 4. The otherwise closed end of the nut is provided with a central hole or opening 50 to permit passage therethrough of the screw threaded shank 52 of the insertable and removable self-threading screw. The head of the screw is denoted at 54 and this is fitted into the nut and has a kerf 55 if desired. Actually, the head of the screw is clamped between the rod and nut, and thus, the screw, if damaged, becomes a renewable or replaceable part of the unit 36. The unit 36 serves to thread the screw through the opening in the dent and to thus anchor the screw to the dent.

It will be clear, therefore, that in operation, a small hole or series of small holes are formed in 'the dent, depending on the size of the dent which is to be lifted up and restored to its position. The repair tool is then placed against the panel in the manner shown in the drawings in such a position and location that the threaded tip of the self-threaded screw is directly above the hole or one of the holes which has already been drilled therefor. By a few turns of the handle, the threaded screw engages the metal in the dent, as is obvious. By manual upward lifting force applied on the handle portion of the lever, the metal forming the dent is pulled outward to the desired position. The padded stand base or face prevents injury to the undamaged portion of the panel during the operation of the tool.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occurs to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A metal panel repair tool of the class described comprising a manually actuable stress applying lever, a support for the distal end of said lever adapted too rest firmly on the work acted on, said distal end of the lever being pivotally mounted on said support, a dent pulling and deforming rod operatively mounted on an intermediate portion of said lever, a self-threading screw adapted to be threaded into a localizing and hold-down hole provided therefor in a dent, and means operatively joining said screw with said rod, said rod being slidably, rotatably and detachably mounted on said lever.

2. A dent pulling and shape restoring tool comprising a portable stand having a base and a standard joined with said base, a stress applying manually actuable lever having its distal end pivotally connected with said standard, said lever having'a lengthwise slot situated adjacent said lever, a T-shaped rod embodying a shank passing slidably and rotatably through said slot and having a crosshead at one end, the latter serving as a handle, a thrust shoulder fixed on said shank, said shoulder resting atop said lever, the other end of said rod being screw threaded, a cap-nut screwed on said screw threaded end, and a self-threading screw removably and operatively carried by said cap-nut.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 458,640 Phillips Sept. 1, 1891 674,133 Cathriner May 14, 1901 1,737,084 Hilstad Nov. 26, 1929 1,771,287 Bryan July 22, 1930 2,191,720 Meinhardt Feb. 27, 1940 

